'Let's Fight Battle Against Poverty, See Who Wins,' PM's Strong Message To Pakistan

PM Modi said Pakistan was exporting global terrorism and that India will work to isolate it.

Kozhikode, Kerala:

Highlights

PM Modi, to people in Pak, said their leaders exporting global terrorism

He said India won't forget Uri and soldiers' sacrifice won't go in vain

PM was addressing party workers at BJP's national council meet in Kerala

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was directly addressing the people of Pakistan as he sent across a strong message against the "export of terrorism" from that country, vowing that "India will never forget the Uri attack."

In his first public speech since four terrorists sneaked into an army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri and killed 18 soldiers, PM Modi said, "I want to tell the people of Pakistan. We are ready to fight you. If you have the courage. Come, we'll fight poverty in our country and you fight in yours. Let's see who eradicates poverty first. Let's fight to eradicate unemployment."

But he also warned, "The sacrifice of our 18 soldiers will not be forgotten. We will ensure that the international community works to isolate you."

India, the Prime Minister said, would not bow to terror. "110 terrorists have been killed by the Indian Army... terrorists have tried to strike 17 times recently, they were successful in one incident," he said.

The two nations, the PM said, got Independence together, but "India exports software, you export terror". There was little the world expected from Pakistan's leaders, who "read speeches written by terrorists," said PM Modi, who was addressing party workers at a BJP meet in Kerala's Kozhikode.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has alleged that India has hastily blamed it for the Uri attack without investigation. But investigators have found that the weapons and food recovered from the four dead terrorists in Uri had Pakistani markings.

Relations between the two countries have plummeted since unrest began in Kashmir following the death of terrorist Burhan Wani in July. India has accused Pakistan of instigating and fuelling violent clashes that have killed 87 people and left over 10,000 injured.

A political resolution expected to be adopted at the BJP meet that the PM is attending, is likely to include the situation in Kashmir and the Uri attack.